No-Mato Sauce

Photo: Angels Homestead

30 days FODMAPs-Free and cutting out nightshades for inflammation means finding new ways to feed your cravings.

This sauce is yummy and can be used as a pasta or pizza sauce.

Try it with my Pepperoni Pizza Casserole, Cauliflower Crust Pizza, or the Sweet Potato Crust Pizza recipes.

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp asafoetida
• 1 cup carrots, roughly chopped
• 2 T apple cider vinegar
• 1 T lemon juice
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 T Italian spices (oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme, parsley, garlic powder*)
• homemade bone broth or water or stock
• 1 can pumpkin puree

Directions:

1. In a saucepan add all ingredients (except pumpkin) and just enough bone broth to barely cover the carrots.
2. Bring to a boil.  Turn to low and simmer until carrots are very soft, about 20 minutes.
3. When carrots are very soft pour saucepan ingredients into a blender and add pumpkin.  
4. Blend until super smooth.

This sauce freezes well.

* omit garlic powder to keep it FODMAPs-Free

Mom's Pumpkin Pie

When I asked my kids what their favorite Thanksgiving dish is, they both decided on dessert. So, today's Thanksgiving recipe is Carly's favorite. Seriously, what Thanksgiving meal is complete without pumpkin pie? Look for Cooper's favorite, apple pie, next.

Photo: The Paleo Mom

 Ingredients for pie crust:

·      ¾ cup raw walnut halves or pecans

·      ½ cup pitted, medjool dates

·      2T melted butter

·      pinch of salt

Directions:

1.    Grind nuts in a food processor until finely ground and almost starting to turn into butter, or just starting to clump together.

2.    Add dates, butter, and salt to the food processor, pulse until combined.

3.    Press into a 9” pie plate or an 8” deep dish pie plate will work, too.

4.    Set aside

Ingredients for pumpkin custard:

·      ¼ cup raw cashews

·      ¾ cup raw walnut halves

·      3 eggs + 1 egg yolk

·      ¼ cup maple syrup

·      15oz canned organic pumpkin puree

·      2 tsp cinnamon

·      ½ tsp ginger

·      ½ tsp nutmeg

·      pinch of cloves

·      pinch of cardamom

·      pinch of salt

Directions:

1.    Preheat oven to 350˚F.

2.    Place nuts in food processor and pulse until finely ground. 

3.    Add eggs and syrup and blend for 2-3 min, until completely smooth.

4.    Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until combined.

5.    Pour into prepared pie shell.  Spread the top out evenly with a spatula.

6.    Bake for 40 minutes.  Allow pie to cool completely before serving.

Bacon Butternut Squash Soufflé

Thanks to PaleOMG for the inspiration for this one.  This would be a nice addition to your side dishes but also a great post-Thanksgiving creation using leftover mashed yams or sweet potatoes.

Photo: PaleOMG

Ingredients:

• 2 cups butternut squash, pumpkin, sweet potato, or yam, pureed
• 4 eggs, separated
• 1 heaping tablespoon arrowroot starch
• 4 slices of bacon, diced
• 2 tablespoons bacon fat
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 shallot, sliced
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh sage, chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste
• butter
  

Directions:

1.    Preheat oven to 400˚F.

2.    Cook bacon until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a plate with a paper towel.

3.    Add puree, 1T bacon fat, and egg yolks to the food processor. Puree until smooth, pour into a large bowl.

4.    Heat 1T bacon fat in a skillet over medium heat and add garlic and shallots.

5.    Cook until shallots are tender and translucent.

6.    Add shallots, bacon, arrowroot starch, herbs, salt and pepper to the bowl of puree and mix well.

7.    In a separate large bowl beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. With a spatula, fold egg whites into your squash bowl until no white streaks remain.

8.    Grease a glass baking dish with butter and pour in mixture. 

9.  Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Best Pumpkin Bread EVER

I was looking for a baked good to take to my bible study.  I came across this recipe and I'm so glad I tried it. Thanks to Against All Grain for this gluten-free, grains-free, dairy-free, coconut-free AND amazing treat!  

I made two.  One for the family and one for bible study.  My family (including my very picky-when-it-comes-to-food husband) loved it so much it was difficult to keep them from eating the whole thing.  I managed to save some and turn it into pumpkin bread french toast the next morning.  Delicious!  As I labeled my treat for bible study I secretly hoped the ladies would see it's gluten-free, grain-free, etc., be too afraid to try it, and I'd get to take some home.  No such luck. 

Photo: Against All Grain

Here's my version:

Ingredients:

2 large eggs

¾ cup almond butter

½ cup grade B maple syrup

½ cup pumpkin puree

3 tablespoons softened unsalted butter

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup arrowroot powder

1½ tablespoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1½  teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon lemon zest

½ teaspoon ginger

¼ teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350˚F.
• Lightly grease an 8.5×4.5 loaf pan then place a piece of parchment paper on the bottom of the pan.
• In a high-speed blender or food processor combine the eggs, almond butter, maple syrup, pumpkin, butter, lemon juice, and vanilla. Puree for 30 seconds until smooth and creamy.
• Add the arrowroot, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, lemon zest, ginger, and sea salt. Blend again for 30 seconds until well combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for about 40 min or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Remove the loaf from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool completely before eating, about 2 hours. Store tightly wrapped in the refrigerator.

For pumpkin bread french toast the next day:

• Whisk together one egg, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, 2 tablespoons of raw milk (optional).
• Melt 1 tablespoon of butter over a medium-high heat.
• Slice 1/2 a loaf of pumpkin bread and dip each slice in the egg mixture. 
• Cook on each side for about 2 minutes.  
• Top with grade B maple syrup.

Pumpkin Spice Donuts

My blogger friend at Write From The Farm inspired me to make donuts again.  Her recipe for bacon, butternut, pumpkin donuts looks awesome.  I will try it.  This time, though, I was working with limited time and wanted to make some donuts for the kids and my mom visiting from Texas.  Here's my variation on the recipe I found at Edible Harmony.

Ingredients:

½ cup pumpkin puree
½ cup of pitted dates (about 10 dates)
6 eggs
1/3 cup of softened coconut oil
1 tsp of vanilla extract
2 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
½ cup of coconut flour
½ teaspoon baking soda

5 tablespoons coconut milk or raw whole milk

Glaze: (optional)

2 tablespoons softened coconut oil

2 tablespoons softened butter

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 tablespoons raw honey

Directions:
• Preheat oven to 350 F.
• Using a food processor or blender, combine the pumpkin puree, dates, eggs, oil and spices until the dates are completely ground.
• Add the rest of the ingredients and run the food processor for a few more seconds

• Grease the donut pan and pour the batter into the molds

• Bake for about 25 minutes or until donuts are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out dry.

• Set on a cooling rack to cool then frost with the glaze.

Breakfast Cookies

My kids were super excited to have cookies for breakfast and you don't have to feel guilty. These are a great addition to your breakfast repertoire.  Don't let the name fool you, though.  They are a great after school snack, too!

Paleo Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies by The Girl Who Went Paleo 

Ingredients:

¼ C pureed pumpkin

½ C almond butter

½ C honey
1 t vanilla
1 C almond meal/flour
1 t cinnamon
¼ t baking soda
½ C walnuts or pecans, or whatever you'd like 

 ½ C dark chocolate chips or any dried fruit, optional

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350˚ F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper
• Combine all wet ingredients together
• Add dry ingredients and combine thoroughly
• Scoop batter onto prepared cookie sheet
• Bake approximately 10-15 minutes, according to thickness
• Cool 2 minutes and transfer to cooling rack